New Ulm weekly review., 1887-03-02
foliage settled into stiffness, then il

foliage settled into stiffness, then it
crouched, waiting.
All! Phil' murmured the bride, her
eyes dewey and her voice tremu-
lous, what if we should find our
welded happiness to be no more than
this moon-hower, lovely to look up.
on, but to be broken by the first
rough usage. See! l can not make
even this small bud attach itself again
where it play gather life and beauty
anew"
She bent forward making pretty
pretense OF reuniting the plant, and
its severed blossoms; but instantly
she started back, maAlng q vain effort
to suppress the exclamation OF pain
or terror that sharply broke the still
ness of the conservatory Her cry
was shrllly echoed on this instant
from the clump Of ferns close, by
which, violently agitated, gave sudden
egress to the figure OF a man.
It was Bardlnelli, late master in
music to Carolyn. It was to the side
OF his former pupil he now darted.
Darby was still clasping her in his
arms, and questioning her in an agony
of apprehension, while she, nervous
=ly agitated, was using her womanly
arts to reassure him.
':Itis nothing, Phil-a mere scratch
"a sting. A great spider, I think.
The creature nipped me and leapsd
away before I could well see what it
was. All! Singer Bardinelli, is it
you? Oh, Phil-what-"
Pale and terrified she lay in the
arms of her hus sband, who, livid as
death, only held her closely, making
no effort to restrain the Italian,
who had, without ceremony, sized
upon the brides hand, upon the finger
of which was appearing a faint line of
discoloratlon, marking the course OF
the envenomed sting she had received.
The one word spoken, as he applied
his lips in sanction to the wound, had
sent deadly chill to the bridegroom's
heart.
''Tarantula!"
No other word was spoken. Darby
knew what meant the drop or two Of
greenish, viscous liquid which the Ital-
ian once or twice elected from his lips,
each time returning in mad hast to
his task of peril. Darby's bride knew.
toe, what signi6ed Bardineili's desper-
ate earnestness, as we'll as she com.
pretended the threatening of danger to
herself in the vertigoand shivering al
ready creeping over her. But neither
Of these thought of the risk Bardinelli
was hazarding; Bardinelll himself did
not give thought to the matter till
the possible results of his daring came
to him in a flash of consciousness.
An eager glance, convincing him OF the
fact that the poison was being abated
in the veins OF his whilonl pupil re-
vealed to him, besides, feck of blood
close to the puncture in the dainty
hand over which he had been gloating
The blood, he knew, was from O.
wound in his own lip. His stronge
teeth had nearly met through it as he
lay in hiding there beyond the fern
m Ound.
But the virus that was creeping
from her veins into his was as the
wine of life to him in comparison
with the venom of jealousy that had
maddened him as he lay there watch
ing the welded lovers. reveling in their
stolen bliss.
cit is DONE" he said, presently, lift
ing a flushed face from his odd work.
"There remains, Signor Darby, but
the drop of poison taken up by the
blood before l could yet to her.
THE drop or two taken up by her
blood? Heaven of mercy, is there no
antidote?"
'There is one, but that may be i'm
possible"
"Speak, man! there must be no i'm
possible here.' -.@a .
'There shall be no impossible, Sig
nor, if Bardinelli's strength faint not, "
the Italian quietly said; ''for taran-
tism, in my land, there are the taran-
tella Dances"
II know-I remember" cried Darby.
@FIt is music, music she must have;
and you-you Bardinelli-"
II know the music-yes. When the
poison works in her nerves and brain
she will move: and IL will play the
death dance for her. Come, Signor
Darby, let me carry her; I can best
place her so that the faintest notes
may stir her numbed senses"
Half frantic with agony Darby made
no protest, but yielded her to the
Italian. Was not the priceless life at
his mercy? Had he asksd for the
heart in his bosom he would not have
wished to say him nay Fragile of
build though he was, Bardinelli caught
| up the lovely burden surrendered to
him and bore her, with the strength
and speed of an athlete, back to the
glare and languorous perfumes of the
| ballroom.
Her life is mine, her life is mine!!"
he muttered, in his half delirious JOY,
as he felt the pulsations of her heart
answering 20 the wild throbblngs Of
the poison-charged arteries OF his
| breast.
Awe-stricken. the wedding reveIers
| cleared the floor OF. the dance hall.
| There We're rapid questionings and ag-
itated replies: there were groans here
and there and sOhs half s,1nnrarcad